Chapter 97 - WHEN IS YOUR BIRTHDAY?

"So Clem, tomorrow is your birthday..Huh?" 

Emma asked, turning her head to the backseat where the trio sat with Eva. Derek had insisted that she stay with him in the front seats of the car.

"Yeah." Clem, who had Maya sitting between Shane and he, replied; though still thinking and trying to understand why his sister had come to issue a personal invitation to them all. She had never done it before, well except to Derek, every year.

But this that she had done today? There must be something she is planning to do. He hoped it was something that he could get her out of, if it didn't go as she had planned. No matter what, she was still his sister, his twin.

"Cool. Happy birthday in advance." Emma said, with a smile, happy that they were talking again. Ever since when he had caught her and Derek smooching by the corridor on one of the school days, he had stopped talking to her, except on that night she had gotten drunk, the night where he kissed her. Now, she couldn't even remember what his lips tasted like. She didn't care though. She had Derek, and the guy did drive her crazy already.

But it was good, they were talking again. He had actually been the first person to give a smile when she had come to the county for the first time.

"Thanks Emma." Clem replied, knowing that very soon, he wouldn't be calling her that. Very soon, he would be calling her Luna, if things worked out in favour of his friend and Alpha.

"You're welcome." Emma said, bit before she could turn away back, to look straight ahead, she was called back into the region of the back seat by Eva.

"Emma, my birthday was on April!" The little girl shouted, smilingly and shaking happily on Maya's laps.

"Oh, that's beautiful. Eva. Did you eat lots of cake?" Emma asked, genuinely interested in the little girl's life.

"Yeah! Mom baked a lot." Eva replied, giving Emma, a toothy smile.

" Oh wow. You enjoyed totally. So sad I missed it." Emma said, putting up a sad face.

" Oh, don't worry." Eva said,chuckling. "You will be around for my big brother's own." She added, glancing at Derek, and winking at him through the rear mirror. To which Derek sighed. Sometimes he wondered whether his little sister was just five years old, or more.

"Really?!" Emma asked, making Maya chuckle alongside Shane and Eva, her voice going at a higher octave, but not enough to be called a shout.

"Yeah." Eva answered, adjusting herself properly on Maya's laps.

"When is it?" Emma asked, very curious to know the date; so that she could start preparing and saving up for his birthday present. She already had something in mind, but it would cost a lot, since her father has blocked her accounts, promising to unblock it, if she started behaving properly. Well she is now. She thought, seeing that she hadn't caused any trouble yet.

"Next week." Eva replied, with a smile.

"Waoh, that's near." Emma said, turning a bit to glance at her boyfriend. He was facing straight ahead, you would think he wasn't hearing or paying attention to what was been said in the car. But of course, he was.

"Okay." Emma added, deciding to call her sister immediately she got home. They had a lot to talk about; also bracing herself up for a reprimand from her sister. They hadn't spoken since the class quiz day, and worse, she had hung up on her.

Well they were close sisters. She thought. Everything would be sorted out.

"So what will you get for him?" Eva whispered, bringing her head closer to her, as if in a conspiracy, even though her words were still heard by everyone in the car.

"Well, aren't presents surprises?" Emma teased the little girl, laughing as the little beauty snorted and looked away to the window as if bearing a grudge.

"Maya, when is yours?" She asked Maya, trying to hold in her laughter when the Blondie looked up to answer her question.

And of course Maya noticed.

"You're still laughing." She stated, causing Shane to scoff.

"Why won't she? You look like an unpaid clown." Shane cited, causing everyone in the car to burst into laughter, including Derek.

"What..." Maya mentioned, a bit annoyed with Shane's description.

"But seriously Maya, have you seen your face?" Emma asked, still smiling.

"Nope, but it couldn't be that bad, right?" Maya asked 

"Right." Shane replied before Emma could, causing Maya to scoff.

"I didn't ask you...Jerk." She said, emphasizing the J word.

"Well I am better than someone who ..." Shane was saying, when Derek interrupted him.

"Enough of the banter. You too always fight like cats and dogs." He said, still looking straight ahead 

"Well, she started it." Shane said, making Maya roll her eyes.

"Childish." She said, while playing with Eva's black hair.

"So..." Emma drawled, staring at Maya questionly.

"So..." Maya drawled back, making Emma sigh.

"You haven't answered my question yet." Emma stated.

"What question?" Maya asked, wanting to tease the human who had been laughing at her earlier, ignoring the looks she was getting from Clem and Shane.

"Maya!" Emma screamed, witholding a laugh, even though the crinkles that appeared when one laughed, was quite visible on her face.

"Yes, baby." Maya said, breaking into bouts of laugh when she saw Derek's face through the rear mirror. For godsake she was his cousin, and didn't do females.

"Why are you laughing?" Emma asked, obviously voicing the thoughts of the other three in the back seat.

"You should have seen your boyfriend's face when I called you baby." Maya said, causing Shane and Clem to laugh. They now understood the situation.

"Derek.." Emma muttered, turning away from the back seaters to look at her boyfriend. He was still looking up ahead, his face bland of any emotions.

"Hmm.." she hummed, before turning back to those at the back.

"So Maya, when is your birthday?" She asked, hoping that her friend would cooperate this time.

"It was on July." Maya finally said with a shrug, remembering that, her last birthday had been like every other day. No cakes or candles, except that her mother prepared her favorite meal.

"Oh, nice. What about you Shane?" Emma asked, facing the most funny of her friends.

"Last month." He replied, giving her a wink, which caused her to smile, and caused Derek to growl. Obviously he had been listening to their conversation, and watching them through the rear mirror.

"So what about you?" Maya asked, drawing in the attention of the rest, Derek especially.

"Next month. I'm an October born.." Emma replied.